As tensions between Maliki and the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) continue to rise, the Kurdish members of his outgoing government have been boycotting cabinet meetings, meaning cabinet meetings have no trade or health ministers, nor a president.

The Kurds announced the boycott earlier this week, after Maliki accused them of providing aid to ISIS, and of allowing ISIS to use Arbil, the Kurdish capital, as a base of operations.

There is no evidence of any of Maliki’s claims, which seem farfetched given the substantial US presence in Arbil. Rather it seems likely Maliki is making allegations because of tensions over the KRG seizing several disputed cities in recent weeks, including oil-rich Kirkuk.

The KRG is also openly talking about having a referendum on outright secession from Iraq, so Maliki seems to be gambling that he can hurt the changes of such a vote by portraying the Kurds as pro-terrorist.

So far, it’s only meant growing acrimony between the two sides, and today’s replacement of Zebari, a lame-duck FM at any rate, is likely to convince the Kurds that they won’t get much out of a new power-sharing deal, and are better off on their own.

2 thoughts on “Maliki Replaces Kurd FM as Relations Disintegrate”

Maliki's Iraqi government does not seem to be much different than Saddam's government .. Has anyone figured out yet This is the only way you can run a government in a Muslim country . Only difference I see is Saddam seemed to offer more protection for the weaker minorities and maintained better security and control . This means the United States and their friends have caused a lot of damage to the Iraqi people . I think we should put the American leaders on trail and punish them for all the wrong they have committed . The American leaders that are really criminals are walking around scott free living a lavish life style here in the USA . I think we should send everyone of them and their advisors to Libya , Iraq and Syria to stand rail .. I don't care if they failed because of greed or stupidity . They called the shots they should suffer the consequences . The two Bushes , the Clintons and now Obama all need to be put on trail in Foreign countries and answer a lot of questions for the crimes they have committed under our name . These guys have overthrown the better leaders and installed poorer leaders to replace them . Not only doing great damage to those foreign countries but harming and bankrupting our country too

Maliki is not in a position to trust those as Hoshiyar Zebari, or any other whom are in bed with USG. At this point in time he simply can not and should not trust the Kurds, kurds are after one thing and one thing only, they are fixed with having their own state of Kurdistan where Barzani can become the first and only Kurdish king, and they are not going to stop at any thing, even if they have to cooperate directly with ISIS. Hoshiyar Zebari, have negotiated the agreement with USG as when they left Iraq, which one of the matter which been negotiated is, in case of Iraqi government needing any assistant and help the USG needs to assist the Iraqi government. Iraqi government been asking for F-16, they never got it, they been asking for USG to start bombing ISIS positions, they never have and USG even refuses to help with anything, because USG wants for Iraq to be divided as this plan was introduced by Joe Biden where Barack Hussein Obama sees it fit as AIPAC and Israeli regimes wants it to be. After all, ISIS was trained and created by USG, Turkish Erdogan government, the Saudis took care of the costs and EU governing buddy said hallelujah.